Wanderings with Werewolves
by LuxaLucifer
Summary: Harry is entering his second year at Hogwarts, prompting Dumbledore to find a suitable replacement for Quirrell...and when the only applicant is Gilderoy Lockhart, he decides to do something about it. So, of course, he contacts the only person he can think of: Remus Lupin.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter.

It occured to me not long ago how different things would have been for Harry, maybe even for the entire Wizarding world, if Remus Lupin had taught DADA his second year, not his third, and it's been bugging me to write it ever since than. This is just a tiny bit of what's to come. :3

Enjoy! :)

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Albus Dumbledore sighed as he dipped his quill into his ink, wishing he could think of some _possible _alternative for what he was about to do. As last year with Quirrell had proved, Harry was constantly in danger. He needed a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knew what he was talking about, who could teach him something, not some buffoon with a useless Order of Merlin and an inflated head.

He put the ink to parchment and began to write '_Dear Mr Lockhart,' _when he happened to look up and see, balancing precariously on top of Lockhart's other books, _Wanderings with Werewolves. _

Albus put his quill down and picked up the book, running his thumb over the word _Werewolf_, his mind whirring. Maybe...no..._could _he? It had been dangerous enough when he had gone to Hogwarts, there had been that incident with Severus...an image came unbidden into Albus's mind of Severus's face if he hired _him..._if he remembered correctly, he got an O on his Defense Against the Darks Arts N.E.W.T...in fact, Albus remembered him getting something like ten N.E.W.T.s, his pale, defiant face staring up at Albus on graduation day, daring Dumbledore to tell him he couldn't make it in the Wizarding world. Albus wondered with a faint prick of guilt exactly what had become of him after the war.

Yes, Albus decided, setting _Wanderings with Werewolves_ down. Yes, he liked this idea. Mentally patting himself on the back for dually getting rid of Lockhart and managing to procure someone who would be excellent with the students, he crumbled up the first parchment and replaced it, picking up his quill again.

_'Dear Mr Lupin,'_ it began.

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Reviews are love! :)


	2. The Whomping Willow

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter.

So, this fanfiction is basically going to be an AU of, instead of Lockhart, Lupin teaching DADA in Harry's second year. I'm not going to rewrite the parts that aren't changed- namely, the first few chapters of the books. It'll start out looking fairly similar to the actual book until things start happening, when it should take a turn.

Enjoy! :)

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_Harry and Ron have taken the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts, only to find themselves about to crash into the Whomping Willow._

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Harry bellowed, lunging for the steeling wheel, but too late-

CRUNCH.

With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig was shrieking in terror; a golfball-size lump was throbbing on Harry's head where he had hit the windshield; and to his right, Ron let out a low desperate groan.

"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.

"My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand-"

It had snapped, almost in two; the tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters.

Harry opened his mouth to say he was sure they'd be able to mend it up at the school, but he never even got started. At that moment, something very large and heavy came hurtling at the side of the car, stopping barely an inch from them. Harry looked over at Ron and saw that he had his mouth open in a silent scream.

"Come on," said an unfamiliar male voice. "Let's get you out of there before the tree comes alive again, shall we?"

Strong arms pulled Harry out of the car and dumped him unceremoniously on the ground, and he watched as a dark figure did the same to Ron.

"Hedwig!" he said loudly. "My owl, she's still in there! And our trunks, all our schoolbooks and stuff!"

"I know, I know," said the stranger, quietly amused. "I haven't forgotten."

The stranger pointed his wand at the car and the trunk flew open with a bang. Harry stopped paying attention to what the stranger was doing as he looked up and noticed, with horror, a huge tree's branch immobilized not three feet above him. Looking around, he saw that they were still under the branches of a huge, menacing trees with giant, dangerous branches. It quivered silently, as though it knew they were still within its reach, if only it could move.

Harry began backing away quickly, Ron next to him, clutching Scabbers in his left hand, his broken wand in his right as he furiously scooted out of the shadow of the tree. They watched the stranger heft their trunks out of the back of the car and send them zooming towards Harry and Ron, where they skidded to a stop in front of them. He picked up Hedwig's cage and let her out; she screeched and sped off towards the castle without a backward look.

The tree was beginning to move again, but the strange took no heed. He climbed in the driver's side of the Ford Anglia, only to be forcibly ejected from it as the car back away itself and sped off into the Forbidden Forest. Harry glanced at Ron, whose face rapidly drained of color.

"Dad's going to kill me..." he moaned.

The tree gained full mobility just as the stranger jumped out of range, still holding Hedwig's cage. It tried vainly to reach him, and when it became clear he wasn't coming back, beat its branches against the ground in frustration. At this point, however, Harry had stopped paying attention to the tree.

"Who are you?" asked Harry, hoping his voice didn't sound as shaky as he thought it did.

"Professor Lupin, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," said the stranger picking up a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string from the grass. "I was just spending a little quiet moment before the feast observing the Whomping Willow-for nostalgia's sake, you see- when, lo and behold, I saw a car fly right into it. I arrived just in time to see you safely out of there, although, I must add, it was a most curious way to make your entrance."

"The platform was blocked off-" began Harry, but Lupin waved it aside. It was hard to tell in the dark, but Harry thought Professor Lupin looked quite amused.

"Let's get you up to the school, I'm sure you'll have ample time to tell your story there."

Grabbing his trunk and taking Hedwig's cage from Professor Lupin, Harry realized with a sinking feeling that they were probably in a lot of trouble. They headed towards the great oak front doors, growing gloomier by the second. If only the platform hadn't been blocked...why _had _it been blocked? And why had they been so stupid, taking the car like that?

Lupin flicked his wand when they grew near the doors and they opened to reveal the sneering visage of Severus Snape, the Potions master and Harry's would-be arch-nemesis, if only Draco Malfoy weren't in his life. Harry wasn't given time to dwell on Snape's hooked nose or greasy, shoulder-length hair, as Professor Lupin pushed them inside and stepped in front of them protectively.

"Lupin," said Snape, his eyes narrowed in the intense glare of dislike that Harry usually associated with Snape's hatred of Harry himself. "I see you've found Potter and Weasley. If you'll let me take them off your hands, I'll just bring them down to my office to...administer punishment."

"Severus," said Professor Lupin pleasantly. "There's no need for that. I was planning to take them to see Professor McGonagall, as she _is _their head of House."

Snape's lip curled. "If you're sure."

He apparently had nothing more to say to Lupin, Ron, or Harry, because he briskly turned around and headed back into the Great Hall.

Harry looked at Professor Lupin for the first time in the light. He was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. If Harry hadn't seen him freeze the Whomping Willow, he would have wondered if Lupin was up to the job.

"Stay out here," Lupin advised them. "If you go anywhere, things will be even worse for you. I expect I'll see you in class, Harry, Ron."

From Snape's mouth they would have taken that as a threat and bristled in reply, but from Professor Lupin it sounded much more like a warning. He smiled at them and they watched him stride into the Great Hall.

"How did he know my name?" asked Ron in complete wonder. "He's brilliant, mind you, but who just goes out and looks at mad trees for fun?"

Harry rather agreed with him, but he never got the chance to say so, because Professor McGonagall appeared at the doors to the Great Hall. Harry felt his stomach drop at the sight of her thin, angry mouth. Ron let out a small whimper.

She marched them to her office, where they sat, feeling suddenly ashamed of themselves. She told them to sit and tell their story, which they did.

"-so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe _you_ have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry.

Harry gaped at her. Now that she said it, it seemed the obvious thing to have done.

"I suppose it never occurred to you that you were _seen_, did it?" she said. "I believe Professor Snape has a copy of the paper it's in, if you are dying to read of your exploits. If not, it should suffice for you to know that _seven_ Muggles saw you. Do you know how serious your actions were?"

And suddenly, they did. It was only when they were back in the Gryffindor common room, where everyone clapped on their arrival and they suddenly felt like heros that they stopped feeling bad.

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Reviews are love! :)


	3. Remus Lupin

Disclaimer- I do not, in fact, own Harry Potter.

Hello! I forgot to give credit where credit was due, last time; the first few paragrpahs of the last chapter were J.K. Rowling's, as are most of the descriptions of characters, especially Remus. It's not uncommon right now, in the early stages of this fic, for a completely new paragraph to end with one of the book's lines, so going through and picking them all out would be a pain in the ass. :)

Anyway, I was super nervous about writing this chapter, because it's a very important chapter; this is the chapter where I establish that Remus Lupin is a Very Good Teacher, and I don't have the boggart crutch to lean on. Even worse, Lockhart was so bad that he didn't even have a semblance of a normal lesson plan, which made it very difficult for me. I think (hope!) that I was successful!

Enjoy! :)

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_It's their first week of lessons, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione are standing in the Hogwarts courtyard when Colin creevey approaches harry and asks for a sgined photo. Draco Malfoy overhears._

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house-"

Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand, but Hermione shut her book with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"

"What's going on?" Professor Lupin was quickly approaching them, one hand in the pocket on his shabby robes, the other carrying his battered briefcase. He looked a bit healthier, as though a few square meals had done him some good. "Did I hear something about signed photos?"

He stopped in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy. Colin Creevey quickly snapped a photo of Professor Lupin, who didn't seem to take any heed. He raised his eyebrows when Ron hastily stuffed his wand back into his robes.

"Well, far be from it for me to decide what any of you do in your spare time, I do have to suggest that all of you refrain from dueling, as it _is_ against school rules."

Malfoy, who had never seen Professor Lupin close enough to see the full extent of his shabbiness, sneered at him, but he wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight in front of a teacher.

The bell signaling the start of afternoon classes rang, and Harry followed Lupin back to the castle, Ron and Hermione following. He didn't say anything as they entered the building through a side door, down a corridor, and up a staircase into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, whistling all the way.

"What do you think of him?" whispered Ron as the rest of the class wandered in. Professor Lupin had opened his briefcase and was taking books out of it, still whistling.

"We don't know yet, Ron," replied Hermione. "He hasn't exactly taught us yet."

Harry was about to speak when Professor Lupin cleared his throat and waited for everyone to quiet down as they pulled their old Defense books out of their bags.

"Good afternoon, everyone," he said. "You won't need those books right now, today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

Everyone looked at each other, thrilled. They'd never had a practical lesson before; Quirrell had always stuttered his way through lessons, assigning them endless notes and homework. Lupin saw all their surprised faces and laughed.

"No need to be so shocked. I've been looking over the lesson plans my predecessor left. He seems to have started off the year with the normal theory of learning how to recognize a dangerous situation but never went into the basic duelling skills you're expected to know my second year, instead concentrating on learning how to heal injuries inflicted by magical creatures, which is usually left to Care of Magical Creatures classes. Is this correct?"

There was a general murmur of ascension and Hermione nodded fervently.

"Good. We shall start off the year by mastering basic duelling spells. Everyone, please choose a partner and stand about two arms' lengths away from each other."

Everyone stood up, uncertain as to how they would have they room for this between all the desks. As they watched, Professor Lupin waved his wand and made all the desks scoot to the corners to give them a wide practice area.

Harry partnered up with Ron, while Hermione took pity on Neville and partnered with him. Neville was looking squeamish at the idea of a practical lesson, but the rest of the class was excited.

"Now, I need a volunteer...who doesn't mind getting Disarmed?"

No one raised their hands, something Professor Lupin seemed to find amusing.

"It's not that bad, I promise. Neville, how about you?"

Neville looked stricken with fear, and Harry couldn't help but think Professor Lupin couldn't have chosen a worse candidate.

"Don't be nervous, I promise you won't get hurt, come on..." said Lupin soothingly, nudging Neville up to the front of the class.

"Now, stand two arms' widths apart from me, like I said...good, good," said Lupin raising his wand so it was above his head. "Now, brace yourself, Neville."

Neville didn't need to be told twice; he screwed his eyes shut and stood stock still as Lupin said, almost casually,_ "Expelliarmus!"_

There was a burst of scarlet light and Neville's wand flew out of his hand, but there was no other effect.

"That was a rather weak one. If you are overzealous it can cause you to fly backwards in midair, which I'm sure no one would want," said Lupin, pointing his own wand at Neville's and causing it to zoom back to its owner. "Neville, why don't you try?"

Neville glanced at the class. Harry and almost everyone else instantly pretended to be interested in anything but Neville, so as to give him a chance. Harry saw Hermione crossing her fingers behind her back.

Neville held his wand like Lupin had and muttered, "_E-Expelliarmus!"_

Professor Lupin's wand twitched slightly, and he gave him an encouraging smile. "Hermione, why don't you come up here too?"

Neville tried to move away as Hermione bounded to the front, but Professor Lupin said lightly, "No, stay here, Neville."

He walked to where Neville was standing and stood behind him, guiding Neville's arm to the right position.

"Now, say it after me-the whole class too, without wands- _Expelliarmus!_"

When Neville repeated it after Professor Lupin his wand shot out a scarlet light just like Lupin's and whipped Hermione's wand right out of her hand, knocking it into the wall behind them and forcing her to take a step back. Again, Lupin sent it right back to her, leaving her looking a little shell-shocked.

"Good job, Neville, that was excellent. You and Hermione may go back to your spots now, everyone, start practicing."

Harry and Ron turned towards each other, and Harry's stomach dropped a little at the thought of Ron pointing his broken wand at him, so he made sure that he managed to say _Expelliarmus_ first every time. When Professor Lupin walked by he happened to glance at Ron's wand and actually offered to trade for the class period, giving Ron the confidence to Disarm Harry three or four times in a row before Harry managed to figure his strategy out.

Neville was doing well after his demonstration with Professor Lupin and managed to Disarm Hermione almost as much as she Disarmed him. Lupin walked around the class and made sure they were holding their wand arms right and saying the incantation correctly, and it made for a very enjoyable class period, what with all the flying backwards.

"That was an excellent lesson, everyone. Now, five points to Gryffindor to everyone, because you all managed to do it, and an extra five for Neville and Hermione because they did the demonstration. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Disarming and summarize it for me, and if you'd like to get a little ahead I would skim the chapter on Shield Charms, but don't strain yourselves...to be handed in Thursday. That will be all."

Everyone was talking as they left the classroom. Harry couldn't remember a better Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, and he thought his classmates were feeling the same way.

"Did you see Dean and me that time when we cast the spell at the same time?" asked Seamus excitedly to anyone who would listen. "Bloody wicked, it was."

"Oh, yeah, bet it didn't beat when I made Lavender- sorry, Lav- fly back six feet in the air!" retorted Parvarti.

"I bet it did!"

Harry, now that he thought about it, could remember very few lessons he'd enjoyed as much as that one at all. He turned to Hermione, was was talking to a cheerful-looking Neville.

"Oh, yes, Harry?"

"What do you think of him now that he's taught of, huh, Hermione?" asked Ron, grinning.

"I think he's a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "I'm glad we finally got someone who knows their stuff. It was kind of him to let you use his wand, Ron."

Ron screwed up his nose. "I dunno if _kind _is the word."

"What's the word you were thinking of?" asked Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Um...macho? It was macho of him to let me use his wand, there!"

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione sighed as Harry roared with laughter.

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Reviews are love! :)


	4. Mudbloods and Murmurs Part One

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter. Unfortunately.

Thanks for all the support I've gotten so far (I've banned myself from looking at reviews until tomorrow because I've gotten frighteningly review hungry lately, so I can delude myself into thinking I got lots of reviews)! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

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_Malfoy has just called Hermione a Mudblood on the Quidditch field; Ron tried to hex him but his wand backfired and caused him to belch slugs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are going to Hagrid's hut for help._

"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute-almost there-"

They pulled Ron the rest of the way to the cabin. Harry, chest heaving with the effort of supporting Ron, wrangled himself into a position where he could knock on Hagrid's door.

When Hagrid opened the door and saw them, his expression brightened. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me- come in, come in- me and Professor Lupin just bin talkin'."

As Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold, they noticed Professor Lupin sitting at Hagrid's table. Harry wondered if it had anything to do with the large quantity of Hagrid's treacle fudge he seemed to have consumed, judging by the crumbs all over the plate.

"What's happened to Ron?" he asked as Ron belched again. Hagrid plunked a large copper basin in front of Ron and told him that it was better out than in.

Harry hastily explained Ron's problem, and Lupin sighed, "I'll see what I can do. I don't think there's much to be done but to wait for it to stop, honestly."

He knelt next to Ron and pulled out his own wand. He pointed it to Ron's throat and muttered something that made Ron's next burp much more smooth. Hagrid was bustling around making them tea while Fang slobbered all over Harry.

"Better?" he asked kindly.

Ron nodded mutely.

"If you can't get a new wand, you'll have to learn the patterns of this one. A broken wand _seems_ completely unpredictable, but you can learn to gauge its reactions with time," said Lupin, patting Ron's back. "I broke my wand a few years back and it took me ages to save up enough for a new one, so I had to learn to make do."

Harry thought it was this admission more than anything that stopped Ron from looking quite so green and sweaty.

"So tell me," said Hagrid as he served them tea. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"

Harry glanced nervously at Professor Lupin, who laughed and said, "I seriously doubt I haven't heard it before, Harry. It seems to me that Ron's already gotten his punishment for dueling, so talk freely."

"Malfoy called Hermione something- it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild."

"It _was_ bad," said Ron hoarsely, not sounding unlike Professor Lupin at the moment. "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid-"

Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged, while even Professor Lupin looked angry.

"I wish I hadn't said I wouldn't do anything," he said sharply. "Because I'm of the mind to take fifty points from Slytherin for that."

"But I don't know what it means," said Hermione. "I could tell it was really rude, of course-"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born- you know, non-magic parents."

"It's a prejudice of our world," said Professor Lupin, his voice calm and his expression unreadable. "One of many prejudices. Some families are under the impression that blood matters, that they have superior skills because they're what people call pure-blood."

"But it's not like it makes any difference," continued Ron. "Look at Ne-" He broke off with a furtive glance towards Professor Lupin, who raised an eyebrow at him. "A lot of pure-bloods can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up, it has nothing to do with blood."

"An' they haven't invented a spell out Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione going a brilliant shade of magenta.

"It's a cruel thing to call someone," said Lupin, looking out Hagrid's window so they couldn't see his entire face. The angle made the bags under his eyes even more visible. "Dirty blood. Common blood. It's ridiculous. You three will soon learn that the Wizarding world is not the sanctuary it appears to be."

Hagrid cast Lupin an poorly-disguised sympathetic look that made Harry and Hermione wonder (Ron had gone back under the table to burp). Was Lupin Muggle-born too?

"I'd better get going," said Lupin suddenly. "I have some paperwork I need to attend to up in my office. Thanks, Hagrid. I'll definitely take your advice when I get the third-years their Red Caps."

"If you need me ter help, I'm here," said Hagrid. "And...as for your paperwork next week, well, good luck."

Harry could have sworn he saw Professor Lupin roll his eyes as he left. Harry couldn't help but understand; sure, Hagrid was great, but when it came to keeping secrets, all you needed was alcohol and a dragon egg.

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If Hagrid's last statement seems a little off, I had my moon chart calculations off by a week and had to alter a few things. Sorry! Reviews are love! :)


	5. Mudbloods and Murmurs Part Two

Disclaimer- I don't own it, I promise.

I always forget to say something here, and it looks like that rend is gonna continue, 'cause I can't remember what I was gonna say. Also, I had to make some edits because my full moon numbers were off.

Anyway...Enjoy! :)

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They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter-Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "Weasley, you will be doing your detention tonight. Potter, you'll be doing yours next week."

"What're we doing, Professor?" asked Ron, nervously suppressing a burp.

"_You_ will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley- elbow grease."

Ron gulped. Harry felt his stomach plunge. Was his punishment going to be equally terrible?

"And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lupin capture a grindylow for his third-year classes tomorrow evening. He expressed that he might need some assistance, so naturally I offered your services. You'll meet him in here."

"A...a what?"

"A grindylow. Eight o'clock sharp tonight for you, Weasley, same time next Sunday, Potter."

Ron glared daggers at Harry until they were out of earshot of Professor McGonagall. "I get Filch and you get Lupin? Where's the fairness in that?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Hermione from behind them. "Grindylows live in the Black Lake, it must be very dangerous if Professor Lupin can't do it alone. At least you won't be in harm's way, Ron."

Ron scuffed his shoe against the floor angrily. "I'd rather be in harm's way with Lupin than _anywhere_ with Filch."

Harry privately agreed, but he wasn't about to flaunt his relief in front of Ron. He wondered how you caught a grindylow, and why they were doing it tomorrow and not that night. He also wondered if grindylows were poisonous or what they were exactly. The afternoon melted away, and around eight Ron, still giving Harry surly looks, left the common room. Harry spent the evening in the common room with Hermione, watching Fred, George, and Lee Jordan succeed in growing differently colored mustaches.

He tried to stay up late for Ron, but ended up falling asleep long before Ron crept back into the dormitory. The next day Harry and Hermione were regaled with Ron's horror stories of cleaning with Filch, including how he'd belched slugs all over a Special Award for Services to the School award and how it had taken ages to get all the slime off. Harry, for his part, spent most of the day convincing Ron that going grindylow hunting with Lupin would be terrible, an activity that Hermione was all too eager to join.

In fact, by ten till eight that night the next week, Harry had managed to convince, not only Ron, but himself, that he was probably going to meet a grisly end at the bottom at the Black Lake. He was not comforted when Professor Lupin showed up with his robes hanging more loosely on him and even darker shadows under his eyes. He certainly didn't look up to fighting off the army of grindylows that Harry envisioned attacking them.

"Hello, Harry," said Lupin pleasantly as he walked in, carrying a large empty tank. There were the only ones in the hall, and his voice echoed strangely. "We'd best get moving; we're off to the Black Lake."

His heart sinking, Harry concentrated on what Lupin was saying as they walked outside and set off at a brisk pace towards the dark waters of the lake.

"Normally I'd order a grindylow for my classes through Diagon Alley, but they're fresh out and I don't trust Knockturn Alley to deliver the goods ever since they shortchanged a kneazle I ordered for a long-haired cat. You all right, Harry?" said Lupin, glancing at Harry, who was turning steadily more green.

"Er, yeah, I think so," he said. "Is this dangerous?"

"Dangerous? Yes, but not very. I'd normally be up to it on my own, but I've been feeling ill lately and thought it might be good to have an extra set of hands ready."

Harry doubted his particular set of hands would be much use, but he didn't think it would be polite to say so.

The sun was almost completely down by the time they reached the lake, which looked more ominous than usual. Far more ominous. Harry hoped Fred and George hadn't been tickling the giant squid lately.

Professor Lupin made towards a large blob, that, as Harry grew nearer to it, turned out to be a rickety old boat. It reminded Harry of the boat Uncle Vernon had forced him and the Dursleys into to try to get away from Harry's letters; this was not a comforting comparison.

"Good, Hagrid's left this here for us," said Lupin approvingly. "Well, climb in, Harry."

Harry clambered into the boat, hoping he didn't wake up the next day with splinters in his bottom. On the other hand, if his only injuries were splinters he would be able to count himself lucky.

Professor Lupin climbed into the boat, pointed his wand at the bottom of the boat and said, "_Impervius!"_

"There," he said, settling into the boat and putting the tank beside him. "Now the boat won't leak."

He started the boat with magic and set it off zooming into the middle of the lake. Harry shivered, glad he'd worn his cloak. Lupin was staring at the surface of the lake intently, and Harry wondered what he was looking for.

"Aha!" he said suddenly, and the boat stopped. "Here we are. Do you see these weeds, Harry?"

Harry peered over the edge of the boat and nodded.

"Good. Grindylows like to nest in thick weeds, which is why the Black Lake is such a good place for them. They usually don't get so near the surface of the water, but the population here is such that they're forced to, because the merpeople don't like them too close to their crops."

Harry sincerely hoped he didn't see a mermaid down there.

"Now, I'm going to send a spell down there that should send at least one of them up the surface. It'll grab at the boat and cling to it, and when it does that I need you to grab its hand- its _entire_ hand, fingers and all. That's very important, getting the entire hand. You can't let them get _your_ hand, because it'll try to drag you under, and it would succeed too."

Harry looked at Professor Lupin in horror. "Drag me under?"

Lupin smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be able to get you back up, but I'm not strong enough right now to fight with the grindylow's initial strength. That's why I need _you_ here, Harry."

"Okay," said Harry, feeling like he might vomit.

"A grindylow's fingers are strong but brittle. Once you have one of their hands it will try to get you to let go, and that's when you get the other one. Hold it out of the water and I'll take it from there."

"Ah," said Harry.

"Ready?"

Professor Lupin met his eyes, looking concerned. The boat tipped to the left a little, and his hand shot out to grab the tank from sliding.

"Harry, nothing will happen to you. Together we're more than a match for a grindylow. It'll only take a minute, I promise. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do," he said, finding that he trusted Professor Lupin and his tired smile.

"Three..." said Lupin, firmly holding his an inch into the water. "Two...one! _Relashio!_"

A jet of what looked like boiling water shot into the weeds, and Harry saw several sickly green creatures barrel out of the weeds. Most of them went under or away from the boat, but two grindylows surfaced and latched onto the side of the boat, causing it to sway dangerously.

"Go, Harry!" yelled Lupin, and Harry reached for the grindylow's long, spindly fingers, pulling his hand away when the grindylow bared its green teeth and made a grab for him. He pretended the grindylow's hand was a Snitch and snatched the grindylow's hand, making sure to get its fingers in his grip. The grindylow's hand was wet and slimy, but he didn't seem to be able to put his fingers out of Harry's grip.

"Now the other one," said Lupin quickly, his wand trained on the grindylow. "Get his other hand, Harry."

Harry waited for the grindylow's hand to get near him and grabbed it, cursing under his breath when it slipped out of his grasp. He tried again and yelled trimpuhantly when he got it, lifting the surprisingly light grindylow out of the water. Professor Lupin grabbed its arms and together they forced it into the tank.

"_Aguamenti_," said Lupin cheerily, filling the tank with water as the grindylow pulled faces and glared at them. He detached the other grindylow from the boat and collected some weeds from the lake with magic, putting them in with the grindylow. He set the boat off for the shore and sat back.

"I'll put him back in the lake after our lesson," said Lupin, pushing his graying hair out of his eyes. "Well done, Harry, well done! I don't expect my third-years to do as well as you just did, and they won't be in the middle of the Black Lake after dark."

Harry grinned before remembering he was supposed to be in detention. "Thanks, Professor Lupin."

"Just giving credit where credit is due. Now, it's about nine-thirty, isn't it? Sorry to keep you up when you've got class tomorrow, but I couldn't have done this any other night."

Harry thought of Hagrid and his wink when he'd said "_paperwork"_ and wondered what it had been that he'd actually been doing.

"It _is_ detention," said Harry cautiously. "I suppose I deserve it."

Lupin shook his head, still smiling. "I remember one time when F-_Mr. _Filch kept us up all night scrubbing floors. We most certainly didn't think we deserved _that_."

Harry looked at Professor Lupin in surprise, who laughed.

"It's always strange to imagine your teachers have lives, isn't it? I'm was a bit of a troublemaker at Hogwarts, although..." Lupin paused, hesitating. "...although my friends were worse."

Lupin had a strange look on his face, so Harry wasn't sure if he should be asking as he said, "Who were your friends?"

"A boy named Peter...he's dead now and...and your father, Harry. James was one of my closest friends."

Harry's mouth opened in shock. "My father? You knew my father?"

Lupin looked paler than usual as he said, "Yes, I did. We were great friends at Hogwarts. Like I said, he had a propensity for getting into trouble."

"How much trouble?" asked Harry eagerly.

"I think it was be correct if I compared us to the Weasley twins," said Lupin, smiling again, although it seemed somewhat strained. "They seem to be living up to our shoes."

"Wow," marveled Harry. "I never knew."

This last sentence had an unexpected effect on Lupin; he turned away form Harry until the boat reached the shore. Harry wobbled on rubbery legs for a few steps as Professor Lupin hoisted the grindylow's tank onto his shoulder, perfectly cheerful again.

"Back up to the castle, then," said Lupin as Harry got his legs back. "I'll walk you up to your common room in case we run into anyone, come on."

Harry followed Professor Lupin back up to the castle, exhilarated by his performance with the grindylow and subsequent praise and excited that he'd learned something new about his father.

They had stopped at Professor Lupin's classroom on the way to the common room to drop off the grindylow when Harry heard a hissing voice around him. He stopped in his tracks, looking at Lupin, who didn't seem to have noticed anything.

_"Kill...must...kill...must find and...kill..."_

Harry's mouth dropped open and he ran to follow the voice. Behind him, he heard Professor Lupin shout after him.

_"Find...kill..."_

He turned the corner, but there was no one there; wild with panic, he turned around to see Professor Lupin standing right behind him. He bent slightly so he could look into Harry's eyes.

"Harry, are you all right?"

"Didn't you hear it?" said Harry desperately. "The voice?"

"No," replied Lupin earnestly. "I didn't. What did it sound like?

"It was hissing...it was saying it wanted to kill..."

Professor Lupin looked alarmed, and Harry realized he really hadn't heard it.

"You don't think I'm making it up, do you?" he added hurriedly. "I'm not, I promise!"

"No, I believe you, Harry," said Lupin, his voice tight. He gripped Harry's shoulder as if to make sure he was still there. "You said it wanted to kill?"

"Yeah, that's what I heard."

"I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about it right away. We'd best get you off to bed; yes, that's safest, I think," he said, sounding distracted. He steered Harry towards Gryffindor tower, and Harry felt better with Professor Lupin right behind him, although his elation of the last few minutes had worn off.

Who would have thought he'd be safer on the Black Lake than in Hogwarts itself?

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Reviews are love! :)


	6. The Writing on the Wall

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

I don't particularly like this chapter; it's too much like the original for my taste. But it had to happen, I suppose.

Enjoy! :)

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_Harry, Ron, and Hermione have stumbled onto the scene of a crime on their way back from Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party; Mrs. Norris is hanging by her tail off a torch bracket and the message revealing that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened is written in blood above. Filch has spotted them._

_"You!" _he screeched. "_You!_ You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"

_"Argus!"_

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers, including Professor Lupin (who had informed Harry weeks earlier that Dumbledore knew about the voice he'd heard. For some reason he had not looked pleased). Dumbledore swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger. Also, Remus, would you mind?"

"Not at all, Professor," said Lupin quickly. "My office is nearest, just upstairs, why don't we..."

"Thank you, Remus," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Professors McGonagall and Snape hurried after Dumbledore, both looking severe.

Dumbledore carefully placed Mrs. Norris on Lupin's desk as soon as they entered and began examining her carefully, the tip of his nose barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. McGonagall and Lupin were bent almost as closed, twin expressions of worry coloring their faces. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile.

Harry couldn't help feel sorry for Filch, who was sobbing loudly, although he probably would have felt sorrier if he wasn't so worried he was going to be blamed for it. He stared at the back wall of Lupin's office, which was stone and completely bare. The empty grindylow tank was sitting on an old cabinet, and Harry concentrated on examining the green algae that had grown on the back. Beside him, Ron was doing the same thing.

At last Dumbledore straightened up. "She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

"Petrified?" asked Lupin quickly, as though he'd come to the same conclusion and had only been waiting for Dumbledore to ascertain that she wasn't dead. Filch cast Lupin a distrustful look and choked out, "Is that true?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "No second year could have done this. It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-"

"_He_ did it!" spat Filch furiously, turned his blotchy face to Harry. "He did it, I know he did, he found..found my letter...he knows I'm a Squib!"

"I never _touched_ Mrs. Norris!" said Harry furiously. "I don't even know what a Squib is!"

"Rubbish," snarled Filch, but before he could continue, Lupin stepped forward.

"I don't think Harry and his friends had anything to do with this," said Lupin calmly, ignoring Snape, who had risen out of the darkness like a bat to speak. "To suggest otherwise is ridiculous; they're twelve years old."

"I have known twelve year olds capable of actions just as vicious," spat Snape, his eyes narrowed in hatred.

Professor Lupin turned away from Snape and didn't say anything.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. "...there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there-"

"But why not join the feast afterward?" asked Snape, his eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up that corridor?"

Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.

"Because..." said Harry, desperately looking at Lupin, who furrowed his brow for a moment before his eyebrows rose in understanding. "Because I...we were tired and wanted to go to bed."

Professor Dumbledore glanced at Lupin, who nodded swiftly. Harry felt relieved that these two adults seemed to understand what he was trying to say.

Snape snorted. "Without any supper? I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for guests at their parties."

"Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "That's enough. We'll be about to cure Mrs. Norris, Argus, as Professor Sprout has recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. I will have a potion made to revive Mrs. Norris as soon as possible. As for you and Severus, Minerva, could you deal with cleaning up the mess downstairs, if Filius hasn't already attended to it?"

Professor McGonagall's lips thinned, but she didn't look nearly as angry as Snape, who stormed out of the office in a flurry of black, McGonagall behind him.

"Harry," said Dumbledore gently. "Does this, as Professor Lupin has led me to believe, have anything to do with the voice he says you've been hearing?"

Harry nodded and Dumbledore's face darkened for a split second before he said, "Tell me, what does this voice sound like?"

"It sounds like a hissing, sort of...it was whispering that it wanted to kill, and that's why we ran down that corridor, because I heard it..."

"I believe you, Harry," said Lupin, who looked worried nonetheless.

"Do you have any idea what it could be?" asked Harry hopefully.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened..." said Dumbledore, half under his breath. "Yes, I have an idea of what it could be. And generally my ideas are quite good."

"Professor?" said Harry, unsure of what that meant for him.

"You're not in trouble, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You three had better get back to your common room, it's safer there. Professor Lupin and I will talk about what you've told us; we'll do what we can. Hogwarts is safe as long as I am here."

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione scurried back to their dorms, Harry reflected on those words and decided to trust in Dumbledore. Yes, Hogwarts was safe.

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Twelve year old Harry is so trusting. :3 Reviews are love! :)


	7. The Rogue Bludger

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Another chapter I'm not super fond of, but whatever. Two chapters from now it's going to get serious, I promise! :)

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_Harry has just been hit by a rogue Bludger; Professor Lupin has helped Harry to the Infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey has healed his broken arm, and although Harry is feeling better, she is making Harry stay overnight._

Late that night, Harry woke to a completely new and unbroken arm. Flexing it happily, he wondered what had woken him up. Then, with a thrill of horror, he realized that someone was sponging his forehead in the dark.

"Get off,!" he said loudly, and then, _"Dobby!"_

Dobby proceeded to cry and talk about how he'd warned Harry Potter, he'd _warned _him, not to mention accidently revealing he'd made Harry miss the train, which Harry was very angry about. However, Harry felt rather sorry for Dobby when he began to explain how he was enslaved; but before he could finish, someone called, "Harry?"

Dobby, frightened, disappeared with a loud crack. Harry pretended to be asleep at once, keeping his eyes open a tiny sliver.

The figure approached him and Harry recognized him through the gloom. It was Professor Lupin.

"Harry," he said quietly. "What was that about?"

Harry didn't move.  
"I know you're not asleep," said Lupin simply. "And I'm not mad at you. Whose house-elf was that?"

"You saw Dobby?" blurted Harry before he could stop himself. Lupin laughed as Harry realized his mistake.

"Yes, I saw Dobby. I saw the whole thing. I've been looking out for you ever since the Mrs. Norris incident, and I decided to keep watch outside the hospital wing after that alarming tampered Bludger nearly killed you."

"You...you have?" said Harry, whose chest constricted strangely at the words 'looking out for you'.

"Yes, I have," said Lupin, smiling slightly. "More importantly, did you say that elf's name was Dobby?"

"Yes, why?"

"That's Lucius Malfoy's house-elf, Harry. Do you know what that means?"

"Wait, what?" said Harry, who had recently been asleep and had had to think about making sure Dobby didn't break himself and now had to process significant information. "Dobby's master is _Lucius Malfoy?"_

Lupin shot him a wry smile before his face dissolved into seriousness. "I suppose you do, then."

"How do you know Dobby was Lucius Malfoy's elf though?" asked Harry, supremely curious.

"As a friend of Dumbledore, I tend to keep my eye on people like Malfoy. Harry, you must be careful. You cannot trust anything that house-elf says, and you must keep your eyes peeled, because this means Malfoy is planning-"

The next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying what looked like one end of a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a moment later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past Harry and Lupin, whom she hardly seemed to notice.

"Remus, is that you?" asked Dumbledore suddenly.

"Yes, I was talking to Harry, but it can wait. What's going on?"

Professor Lupin hurried over to stand by the statue and gave a low groan when he saw what it was. "Not a student..."

Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall swept back into view, Madam Pomfrey pulling a cardigan over her nightgown.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

Harry sat up further and looked over to see who it was.

It was Colin Creevey.

Harry slumped back into the bed, letting the teachers' voices wash over him and he tried to make sense of what was happening.

"It means," Dumbledore was saying. "That the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again."

"But, Albus...surely...who?"

"The question is not _who,"_ said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is _how."_

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__Reviews are love! :)


	8. Cornelius Fudge

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Sorry for the delay! I've just moved, and computer time is difficult to find. I was going to do a Dueling Club chapter but decided that it was a stupid idea...so you have this chapter instead, and trust me, I think it may make up for my delay! :)

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_Harry has found Riddle's diary and has seen the Hagrid memory; he has left the diary in his dorm room only to return to find it ransacked._

"Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone to Ron.

_"What?"_

Harry stared at his messy room and realized stuff like _this_ was what Professor Lupin was worried about, why he'd been keeping an eye on him. Deciding it didn't matter whether or not Lupin found out about the diary, he raced down the steps to the common room and out the portrait hole, heading for Lupin's office. He'd gotten halfway there when he nearly ran into Professor Lupin himself.

"Oh, hello, Harry," said Lupin, smiling.

"Professor Lupin," panted Harry. "My room- I need- it's been..."

"Calm down so I can understand you," said Lupin, bending down slightly to be closer to Harry's height. "What's wrong?"

"My room's been ransacked," he finally managed, and the alarm that registered on Lupin's face was enough to justify Harry seeking him out.

"Show me," was all he said before they practically ran back to Harry's dormitory, where the rest of the boys in Harry's dorm had assembled by now.

"See," said Harry, gesturing helplessly to his room.

Professor Lupin's eyes roved around the room, scanning it for who-knew-what. Evidently he saw something, because all the blood drained from his face and he suddenly seemed unable to move.

"Ron," he said quietly. "Is that your rat?"

Ron glanced over at his bed, where Scabbers was sleeping on his pillow. "Yeah, why?"

"Forgive me," said Lupin, his voice low and quiet. "For asking this of you, but may I see him for a moment?"

Ron looked at Harry, who shrugged, equally confused. Was this related to the ransacking of his room?

"Sure," said Ron, reaching for Scabbers.

"Wait," said Lupin suddenly, right before Ron's hand made contact with the rat. "Ron, please…keep a firm hold on him. Don't let him go."

"O-Okay," said Ron, looking around at the rest of the dorm. Now everyone, Dean, Neville, and Seamus included, appeared confused.

Scabbers woke up when Ron grabbed hold of him, and, even though he was normally such a lazy, placid animal, the moment his beady eyes caught sight of Professor Lupin, he began struggling in Ron's hand. Ron, bewildered, brought him closer to Lupin at his request.

"How did he lose his toe?" asked Lupin softly.

"We found him like that," said Ron. "Percy did, I mean."

"When?"

"When?" Ron repeated, confused.

"When did you find him?"

Professor Lupin hesitated before reaching out to Scabbers. The moment his finger was within reach, Scabbers bit him. Lupin barely seemed to notice, absentmindedly wiping the blood off on his robes.

"Percy found him…I think it was eleven years ago. He was hiding in the cookie jar."

Harry didn't think it was possible for Lupin's face to get any paler, but it did. "Dean, go get Professor McGonagall. Neville, go get Professor Dumbledore, please. If you don't know where his office is then ask a ghost or a teacher."

Dean and Neville scurried out of the room, leaving Ron, Seamus, and Harry standing around Lupin, who drew his wand and pointed it at the rat.

"Don't move," he said to Scabbers, wand so close that it was making the rat go cross-eyed as he struggled to get free of Ron's grip. Harry noticed that while Lupin's voice was shaking, his wand hand was quite steady.

"Why are we waiting for the other Professors?" asked Seamus. "I mean, what exactly are you planning to do?"

"I need witnesses," said Lupin. "The Ministry won't believe…I want to make sure you aren't in danger. In fact, that reminds me, Seamus. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Seamus's mouth dropped open. "But…"

"I understand you want to be in the thick of the action, but things may get dangerous…if I'm right."

"If you're not?" asked Harry.

Lupin smiled thinly. "Then I look like a lunatic in front of several of my students and two of my colleagues."

As Seamus reluctantly went back to the common room, Neville burst back into the room, face red and sweaty. Professor Dumbledore was on his heels. The twinkling spark in his eye was all but gone, and his voice was sharp when he said, "Remus, what's going on?"

Professor Lupin looked as though he had something large caught in his throat, and Harry realized he was on the verge of tears. Harry, embarrassed, looked away.

"Just watch, Professor. It would be too difficult to explain it all without proof."

The dormitory door opened again, and Professor McGonagall practically flew into the room, Dean at her heels.

"Mr. Thomas," she said, still breathless as she grasped some semblance of what was going on. "Thank you for bringing me. You and Mr. Longbottom may go now."

Disappointed, Dean and Neville drifted back down to the common room.

"I needed witnesses," repeated Lupin, starting to sound a little frantic. "If I'm right about this."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Quite understandable, Remus. Now, would you show us why we're here?"

Harry watched as Professor Lupin pointed his wand at Scabbers. Suddenly, the rat began to change. Ron dropped it in horror as they watched. It was like watching a sped-up version of a growing tree. A head was shooting upwards from the ground; limbs were sprouting; next moment, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.

"Bollocks," said Ron, and everyone was so shocked that no one reprimanded him for his language.

"That's…" said Professor McGonagall, but before she could finish her sentence the man had darted for the bedroom door. Dumbledore stopped him with a flick of his wand, freezing him in place, his eyes dark and narrowed.

"Peter," said Lupin, his voice harsh and quite unlike Harry had ever heard it. "Peter Pettigrew."

"You're supposed to be dead," whispered McGonagall. "Dead and buried."

"Not quite buried, Minerva," said Dumbledore calmly. "Only a finger."

Harry, his gaze transfixed on the small, balding man cowering in front of him. "Who…who is he?"

"If my hunch is correct," said Dumbledore carefully. "And they usually are, he is the man responsible for your parents' death."

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Reviews are love! :)


	9. Peter Pettigrew Part One

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Sorry it's been so long, but i'm moving and it's a pain in the ass. Plus writer's block, and it's been slow. But it's here! :)

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_"If my hunch is correct," said Dumbledore carefully. "And they usually are, he is the man responsible for your parents' deaths."_

"W-What?" said Harry in disbelief. "I thought Lord Voldemort was killed my parents!"

"He did," said Lupin. "But only because your parents were betrayed. Up until today, until ten minutes ago, I-_everyone_-believed it was Sirius. Sirius Black. He was your parents' Secret-Keeper."

"Except he wasn't, was he?" said Dumbledore, and although his voice was calm it sent shivers down Harry's spine. "_You_ were, weren't you, Peter?"

The small, balding man whose name was Peter made a choking noise. "I-I wasn't, I swear," he managed finally. "This is all a big misunderstanding, I would never, Remus, you know I wouldn't..."

He reached out to Lupin, who recoiled and pointed his wand even more firmly at Peter.

"I don't know, Peter," said Lupin. "Why would an innocent man spend eleven years as a rat?"

At this, Ron let out a low moan. Harry glanced at him to see his best friend staring at the man who used to be Scabbers in horror. "I let you sleep on my bed..." he whispered.

"You were kind," squeaked Peter, turning to Ron pleadingly. "You were kind for taking me in, your and your brothers, so kind, so kind..."

Ron stepped away from Peter so quickly he tripped back onto his bed. Peter turned to Harry, who recoiled.

"Sweet boy...you have your mother's eyes...I would never betray her, never..."

"Don't talk to him," hissed Lupin. Harry got the impression that if Dumbledore and McGonagall weren't in the room he would have just hexed Peter.

"I don't understand," said Harry. "Did Sca-did _he_ ransack my room?"

"No!" cried Peter frantically. "No, no, I didn't, I swear. I didn't even see who did it, I was asleep, I swear..."

More than anything he'd said so far, this rang true.

"So...what's a Secret-Keeper?" ventured Harry.

"I will explain it to you later," replied Lupin. "Taking care of Pettigrew is more important."

"Now what, Professor?" asked McGonagall, turning to Dumbledore for guidance. "What do we do now?"

"Minerva, send an owl to the Ministry at once. Tell them to bring Aurors as soon as possible, and request that no dementors be brought."

McGonagall nodded and left the room.

"Professor," said Lupin, his voice suddenly strange and thick again. "Do you think this means...that after all these years...Sirius..."

"Sirius is, in all probability, innocent," said Dumbledore calmly.

This meant little to Harry. Professor Lupin, however, looked as though he wanted nothing more than to collapse onto Harry's bed. Ron gasped.

"S-Sirius...Sirius Black? The mass murderer?"

Peter whimpered. "Sirius isn't innocent, I've been hiding from him, in case he escaped..."

"Escaped from Azkaban, something no one else has ever managed?" said Dumbledore, and there was no mercy in that voice. "I find that difficult to believe."

Peter's round face crumpled. "I did not _mean _to...they were my _friends_, I loved James and Lily, I did..."

"You sold them out to Voldemort," said Dumbledore sharply. "There was no love in that."

Peter collapsed into tears, and Lupin, trusting Dumbledore to handle it, sat heavily onto Dean's bed.

"What does this mean?" said Harry quietly. "For...for me?"

Professor Lupin managed a weak smile. "It means...if all goes well, Sirius Black will be acquitted for the murders he was convicted of. He will be freed, and..."

"And?" prompted Harry.

"If all goes well, and he is still the same person after these eleven years, he may take you to live with him."

"L-Live with him?"

"Only if you want to. You see...Sirius is your godfather."

And suddenly, despite standing in the presence of the man who ohad betrayed his parents to Voledmort, Harry felt a sudden warmth spread in his chest and suppressed the strong urge to smile.

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Reviews are love! :)


	10. Peter Pettigrew Part Two

Disclaimer- I don't own it. La.

So, I've noticed a recent flux in attention to this story. I'm not sure why; it could be that we just got to the juicy bit, Remus Lupin's newly released biography, or that my story is actually good (psssh, yeah right). This means I have to apologize to a whole new hord of you for what I'm about to say;

I don't enjoy writing this anymore. I don't know why. I really don't. Just that I don't enjoy it. Now, this doesn't mean that I will stop writing it, because I have never left a story incomplete in my life (I have deleted a couple, but only in their early stages) and I don't plan to start now. But, as you can see, I haven't been updating as often, and I suspect the quality isn't up to the earlier standards. That's usually how it goes with me, if I use past experience. I'm sorry; feel free to continue reading, but _you have been warned._

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"I-I'm sorry, who? Peter Pettigrew?"

It was several hours later, and Harry was sitting in Dumbledore's office, next to Ron, who been wearing an expression of befuddlement the entire time. Harry was currently watching Professor Dumbledore talk to the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

Or, if Harry was being honest, watching Professor Dumbledore _argue_ with Cornelius Fudge.

"Yes, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, hardly a sign of impatience showing through, even though the man in question was standing not ten feet away from him, cuffed and surrounded by Aurors. "Peter Pettigrew. He is not dead and he is no hero. He is standing _in this room_."

"But-" spluttered Fudge. "That...that can't be! Black's in Azkaban for killing him, there are witnesses..."

"The witnesses are wrong," said Dumbledore. "All evidence points to Sirius Black's innocence."

Fudge was practically spitting. "But...but...you're taking this on the evidence of Lupin...someone like him..."

Dumbledore's expression hardened. "The moment he had suspicions he sent for myself and Professor McGonagall, and we witnessed the Animagus transformation. You cannot ask more than him from that."

Fudge sighed. "Yes, yes, I suppose you're right. Where is he now?"

"He's in his office, presumably composing himself. To find Pettigrew like this...it's very difficult for him."

Fudge looked as though he had a retort, but wisely kept it to himself.

"What does this mean for Potter?"

Harry perked up.

"It means," said Dumbledore slowly. "That, when Sirius Black is released from Azkaban, he may have a new place to live."

Harry smiled.

Fudge left, Ron was back in his dorms, Peter Pettigrew had been escorted to Azkaban by the Aurors, and Harry was sitting across from Dumbledore in his office.

"So," said Dumbledore. "Tell me about what happened to your room."

Harry's mouth opened and closed. He had almost forgotten about his ransaked room in the wake of these big events.

"Oh, well...someone searched it. Looking for something."

"Do you know what they were looking for?"

The diary flitted through Harry's mind, but he didn't know if it really qualified as something taken. So he shook his head, knowing deep inside that the diary was exactly the kind of thing Dumbledore would want to know about.

Dumbledore sighed and Harry suddenly felt guilty.

"Well, then, we'll have to keep our eyes our for the culprit, won't we? I'll make sure the Fat Lady is extra watchful. Do you trust your fellow Gryffindors?"

"Oh, yes," said Harry quickly, thinking of his dormmates and feeling certain they would never rob him.

"...Good, good," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "Well, it is late, and you _do_ have classes tomorrow. Good night, Harry!"

"Good night, Professor."

Harry stood up to leave, but hesitated. "Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Sirius Black...when do you think he'll get out of Azkaban?"

"It may take several months for all the evidence to come to light and his case be made," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling. "He should be out in time for summer."

Harry grinned and thanked the headmaster before heading back to his dorm, ransacked room forgotten in light of his godfather.

Dumbledore, on the other hand, was more tired and gray than ever.

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Reviews are love! :)


	11. Ill Fated

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

I think people may have misunderstood me when I said I had no inspiration; I'm not planning to stop, only that the quality will probably not be great. From here on, I think I only five more chapters anyway.

Also, in response to a plot point someone else pointed out, the trio didn't get the Most Potente Potions form signed by Lupin in this version, but by Binns; he would be as easy to trick as Lockhart. :)

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The next day Harry could hardly think about the Quidditch match, he was so excited about Sirius. He and Ron quickly filled Hermione in on the events of the previous night, and she had been suitably horrified (imagine, Ron, living with an Animagus for so many years!) and then worried (what do we do if Sirius Black _isn't_ innocent and they release him?). She was also intensely interested in the reason Fudge hadn't wanted to trust Lupin (but he's such a great professor, what did he do?), but as far as Harry was concerned, that didn't matter.

When they hit the entrance staircase, however, Harry distinctly heard, _"Kill this time...let me rip...tear..."_

"Did either of you hear that?" he asked hopefully. Ron and Hermione looked at him blankly.

"The voice again?" asked Ron.

"Boy, things just keep happening, don't they?" said Harry gloomily.

"Wait, Harry!" said Hermione suddenly. "I think I've just figured something out. You only ever hear it right before an attack, don't you?"

"Um...yes?"

"And then...oh, _I know!_ I have to go talk to Professor Lupin!"

Hermione hurried off, leaving them staring. They watched her sprint towards the fields in amusement.

"_What_ does she know?" said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.

"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head. "Well, Lupin will sort her out, whatever she's on about."

Quidditch drove everything else from his mind; he raced upstairs for his broom and was just about to mount it when Professor McGonagall came half-marching, half-running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.

Harry's heart dropped like a stone.

"The match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called out through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. The boos and shouts were drowned out by her next words. "A student has been killed by the monster."

The crowd, instead of whispering to each other, fell silent. As one, they waited for word. Who?

"All students are to make their way to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Ron joined Harry, detaching himself from the shocked crowd, to walk with him back to the castle.

"Who do you think has been killed?" he asked, sounding frantic. "You don't think it could have been-"

"Harry, Ron," said a calm voice behind them. Harry and Ron turned to see Professor Lupin looking rather pale and with exceptionally large bags under his eyes, but otherwise fine. Hermione was with him, looking devastated.

"And just when I'd figured it out..." she moaned.

"Figured what out?" asked Harry and Ron together.

"Hermione thinks the creature is a basilisk," said Lupin, smiling tiredly at her. "A rather good hypothesis. If we can only find out about the spiders..."

Hermione burst into sobs. "Oh, _no_, I can't believe someone's been killed when we were so _close_, it's so unfair!"

"Professor," said Harry hopefully. "Do you know who-"

"No," said Lupin quickly. "I had been go find out, hadn't I? I will talk to you three later, and inform Professor Dumbledore about the basilisk."

"Don't forget about the pipes!" cried Hermione from between her fingers.

"I promise," said Lupin solemnly. "Be very proud of yourself, Hermione. you may have saved lives today."

"But not one," cried Hermione, running back into the castle. Harry and Ron stared after her.

"I'm not really sure what just happened," admitted Ron.

"What's a basilisk?" asked Harry.

"Someone's _dead_," sobbed a voice from behind them, and Harry and Ron turned to see Ron's sister Ginny run past them.

"Is it all girls?" asked Ron. "Or just them?"

"Someone _is_ dead," said Harry, thinking of his parents and how he'd never gotten to know them. Soon the dead student's family would be notified, and they would find out that their child was _dead_.

Harry thought of little Colin Creevey, frozen in his hospital bed, and his stomach dropped. That could have been him; imagine his father the milkman's grief.

Harry was in a dark mood by the time they reached the common room, and Ron didn't press him.

"Before I begin," said Professor McGonagall the moment the last person had entered the portrait hole. "I will tell you the identity of the victim. It was Penelope Clearwater, a Ravenclaw Prefect."

Percy Weasley let out a cry of distress at this and sat down heavily into a chair.

"We will..." She paused, and for a horrifying moment she almost lost her composure. when she spoke again her voice was choked. "I need hardly ass that I have rarely been so distressed. We will hold a memorial for her in school as soon as possible. Also...it is likely the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, and soon. I would _implore_ anyone who thinks they know anything about them to come forward."

She then listed a bunch of new rules, like being accompanied by a teacher to all classes and only going about in small groups, but Harry was barely listening. Penelope Clearwater was dead. The monster _had_ to be stopped.

* * *

Penelope would have died if not for Hermione giving her a mirror; with Hermione going to Lupin, Penelope dies. :(

Reviews are love! :)


	12. Aragog

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Again, more feeback than usual, so thanks! :)

* * *

_Harry, Ron, and Hermione go down to Hagrid's hut to talk to him about the Heir of Slytherin, but are interrupted by Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge arresting Hagrid and making Dumbledore step down. Fudge is nearly hysterical; he says if there is another attack, fatal or no, Hogwarts will be closed. Hagrid tells them to follow the spiders, and they do, finding Aragon, who confirms that Hagrid is not the culprit. The Ford Angela saves them. They figure out Moaning Myrtle was killed by the Heir of Slytherin._

The day after Penelope Clearwater's death, there were new bulletins around the school telling all students to carry mirrors with them, in case of attacks. Teachers were instructing them to look around corners with them, and to never travel alone.

"Professor Dumbledore agrees with you, Hermione," said Professor Lupin the next time they saw him. "He think it's a basilisk. Now we just have to figure out how to find it."

"How did you do it, Hermione?" asked Ron, sounding equal parts jealous and awed. "How did you figure it out?"

"I thought about the voice Harry had been hearing," said Hermione, a little proudly. "And how it always came from the walls. So I asked myself, what could live in the walls? And the answer was easy; a snake!"

"Blimey," said Ron, turning to stare at Harry. "You must be a Parseltongue!"

"A-A what?" asked Harry in bewilderment.

"You can speak to snakes!" said Ron. "Like Slytherin could. It's a good thing the school never found out, everyone would think you'd done it for sure."

"Why?"

"Because only really bad wizards can speak to snakes," replied Ron. "Or at least that's what I've heard."

Hermione then explained the different ways that the basilisk had managed to miss killing everyone except, of course, poor Penelope Clearwater.

A few days passed, and they never managed to break free from the group long enough to get into the girl's bathroom and ask Moaning Myrtle about the Heir of Slytherin. Even worse, Professor Lupin got sick and Snape taught a lesson about werewolves, claiming that they were woefully under-taught and that Professor Lupin was little more than a hack.

"You don't think..." said Hermione as they came out of the classroom.

"What?" snapped Ron, who'd had fifteen points taken from Gryffindor for 'indolence.' "That Snape's a great big git? Because he is!"

"Obviously," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "That Professor Lupin's...oh, nevermind."

Later, in the common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione discussed in hushed tones how they were going to get to Moaning Myrtle.

"We could always use the Invisibility Cloak," suggested Ron.

"We might have to," replied Hermione, chewing her lip. "I don't see any other way."

"Hey," said Harry suddenly, a thought striking him. "What if..."

"Yes?" said Hermione patiently.

"You think it's in the walls, right?"

Hermione nodded. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, we've covered this already!"

"If it's in the walls, and it's a snake, then it would be in the pipes, right?"

"Yes," said Hermione. "That's what I've surmised."

Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm.

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-"

"_-Moaning Myrtle's bathroom,"_ said Harry.

They said there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.

"What do we do?" asked Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Do we go to McGonagall?"

"Professor Lupin," said Harry immediantly. "Let's go find him."

"Where?" asked Hermione. "His office?"

"No," said Harry, thinking quickly. "The staff room. The teachers probably don't like to be alone either."

"Get the cloak," hissed Hermione. "And we'll go there together."

"You two come with me," said Harry. "IWe can't just leave the common room with no one noticing."

Ten minutes later they were racing down the corridors, hardly thinking about Filch or Mrs. Norris or anyone else, intent on talking to Professor Lupin.

As they got there, they slowed down. The door was closed, so they hovered outside of it for a few seconds before Harry steeled himself and pulled off the clock. He knocked. No one answered. He knocked again, then cautiously pulled the door open. There was no one inside.

"I wonder why no one's here..." said Hermione.

_"All teachers report to the staff room. Immediately, please."_

Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron and Hermione.

"Not another attack? Not now?"

What'll we do?" asked Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"

"No," said Harry, much to Hermione's distress. He looked around and his eyes fell on an ugly sort of wardrobe full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about and then tell them what we know."

They hid themselves inside it while the teachers filtered into the room, hearing the staff door bang open over and over again. It was rather a tight fit with all three of them. Professor Lupin arrived, looking tired, pale, and worried.

Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the chamber itself."

Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"It left another message," said Professor McGonagall, looking very pale. "The Heir of Slytherin. Right under the first one. _'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"_

Professor Flitwick burst into tears. Professor Sprout whispered, "Wasn't Penelope enough?"

It was Professor Lupin who spoke next, his voice hoarse. "Who is it? Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.

Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him. Hermione covered her hand with her mouth to stifle a choked cry.

"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..."

She trailed off, and the room was silent.

"Lupin," said Snape, his voice thinly veiled with hatred. "Shouldn't you do something about this? It is your area of expertise..."

"Oh, Severus, please," said Lupin, sound very tired. "I have tried to find the culprit, just like everyone else here."

"I would think you would have some advantage. You'd think one Dark Creature would know another."

"Severus, that's enough," snapped Professor McGonagall. "There's no need for that, not in these dark times. Not ever, as a matter of fact. Moving on; the Heads of Houses should go and inform their students of what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts express should will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."

The teachers rose and left, one by one, except...

"Professor Lupin," hissed Harry. He hoped he would hear him, as he was, after all, halfway out the door. Harry was thankful Lupin had been the last teacher to leave.

"Harry?"

Professor Lupin watched in astonishment as they exited the wardrobe and dusted of their robes.

"Harry, I do understand a certain level of trouble-making, but the school is not safe for-"

"No, Professor," said Hermione excitedly. "We have something to tell you."

Ron, his face pale but his eyes burning, nodded mutely.

"What is it, you three?" said Lupin. He looked, as far as they could tell, like he believed them.

"We think we know where the Chamber of Secrets is hidden."

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	13. The Chamber of Secrets

Disclaimer- Nope.

:)

* * *

"What?"

"We know where the Chamber of Secrets is," repeated Harry. "Will you let us show you?"

Professor Lupin looked extremely caught off-guard. "Are you...are you sure?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Well, no," Harry admitted. "Not until we can talk to Moaning Myrtle."

"Moaning Myrtle...why would you..." muttered Lupin, obviously thinking. "Wait, the pipes! You think the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is in the second floor girl's bathroom?"

"Yes!" said Harry, excited. "Come on, we'll show you."

"Wait," said Lupin carefully. "I can't bring you. Thank you three very much for telling me, but I'll have to check it out on my own. Bringing the three of you with me would be a mistake on my part. I can't let you-"

"You can't go without Harry," piped up Hermione.

"Er-what?" said Lupin.

"What?" said Harry.

"Without Harry, you won't be able to get in. He's a Parseltongue, and I suspect you'll need to be one in order to open the entrance."

"You're a Parseltongue?" said Lupin in disbelief.

"Yeah," said Harry, slightly defensively. "That's why I could hear the basilisk."

"But James wasn't...but it _does _make sense."

"Please," said Hermione. "You have to bring Harry, and Harry doesn't go anywhere without us, right, Harry?"

"Right," he said firmly.

"Plus," said Ron, his voice choked. "She's my _sister."_

Lupin gave them all long, hard looks before saying, with a tone of great resignation, "I am going to regret this later. I can feel it. Now, let's go to the girl's bathroom, shall we?"

When they reached the bathroom, Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.

"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Harry. "What do you want this time?"

Then something unexpected happened. Her eyes landed on Lupin and her mouth dropped open.

"_Remus?"_ she gasped. "You came back for me!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at Professor Lupin incredulously. Professor Lupin, on the other hand, just looked uncomfortable.

"No, Myrtle," he said carefully. "I'm a teacher here now. It is nice to, er, see you again."

Myrtle actually _winked_ at Lupin. "I know how it really is. No one saves a girl from bullies so much if they don't _like_ her."

"Those bullies were my friends," replied Lupin wearily. "I just stopped them from throwing things through you, that's all. Myrtle, we've got to talk to you about something, so can you put that aside for now?"

"Of course, _Moony,"_ said Myrtle dreamily.

Professor Lupin actually _blushed._

_"_So what _do _you want?" she repeated.

"To ask you how you died," said Harry.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked a more flattering subject.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and I then heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got to me was that it was a _boy_ speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go use his own toilet, and then-" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I _died."_

"How?" said Harry.

"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away..." She looked dreamily at Harry, glancing sideways at Professor Lupin. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" pressed Lupin, before Harry could say it.

"Somewhere over there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.

The four of them hurried over to it.

It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. Professor Lupin took out his wand and began muttering spells, trying to get something to happen. And then Harry saw it; scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle and Professor Lupin in unison. Myrtle laughed as Professor Lupin turned red and the other three shelved the moment for a later date when they could freely laugh at it.

"Harry," said Ron. "Say something. Say something in Parseltongue."

Harry, who hadn't known until then that he _could_ say something in Parseltongue, thought back to the only time he had, in memory, talked to a snake. He thought back on the conversation with the snake he'd had at the zoo last year...what had it felt like...

He stared hard at the engraving, trying to imagine it was real.

"Open up," he said.

He looked at Ron and Hermione, who shook their heads.

"English," Ron said.

Harry looked back at the snake, willing himself to believe it was alive. If he moved his head, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving.

"Open up," he said.

Except that the words weren't what he heard; a strange hissing had escaped him, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

"I'm going down there," said Harry.

"No," said Lupin faintly. "You can't, it's too..."

He trailed off, staring at the pipe.

"Oh hell," he grumbled. "I might as well lose my job if we can save Ginny. Who wants to go first?"

They all looked at each other.

"I will," said Lupin. "To make sure it's safe. Is that okay with you three?"

He looked fairly aware of the absurdity of asking his own students for permission to climb into a giant pipe, but to his credit, when they nodded he jumped straight in and whipped out of sight. A long moment later a silvery wolf jumped out of the pipe and said, in Lupin's voice, _'It's safe.'_

"What the bloody hell is that?" said Ron, jumping back.

"A Patronus," said Hermione in awe. "That's really high level magic. A wolf...I'll bet I was right."

"I don't think now's the time for whatever you're talking about," said Harry, following Lupin into the tube. Ron and Hermione followed him barely moments later, and after a long, dark, slimy ride down, they all shot out of the end and landed with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. In front of him, Lupin was standing up and brushing off his robes.

"We must be miles under the school," said Harry, his voices echoing in the black tunnel.

"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls.

All four of them turned to stare at the darkness ahead.

Almost simultaneously, Harry, Hermione, and Professor Lupin lit their wands.

The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wand-light.

"Remember," said Harry quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of moment, close your eyes right away..."

"I can't believe I let you come with me..." muttered Professor Lupin. Then; "I can't believe I let _myself_ come."

Eventually, after stepping on the bones of dead animals and passing a giant snake skin, they made it to a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

"Before we move on," said Professor Lupin heavily. "I would like to send my Patronus to find Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore. And, please forgive me of asking this of you, Ron and Hermione, but I would like to stop you here."

"But-" said Hermione angrily.

"That not fair!" said Ron, interrupting her loudly. The shout echoed off the walls and made the students flinch.

"I insist," said Lupin firmly. "I mean it. There could be terrible things beyond this door. I would love, and I mean dearly _love_, to make all three of you go back, but only Harry can open this door, and it feels as though...as though this is meant for him. But you two...I cannot, as a teacher at Hogwarts, let two of my students walk into unneeded danger. We do not need another Penelope Clearwater on our hands. If I have to, I will stop you by force. Do you understand?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each, a heavy pause between them. Finally, Hermione nodded.

Professor Lupin visibly relaxed. "Please, don't begrudge me for this...I am only doing what I have to."

"You're still my favorite teacher," said Hermione quietly.

"We'll wait here," said Ron.

Professor Lupin smiled and turned to Harry. "I hate to say it, but it's up to you now."

Harry approached the snakes, his throat very dry. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive.

He could guess what he had to do. He cleared his throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker.

_"Open,"_ said Harry, in a low, faint, hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, walked inside with the comforting hand of Professor Lupin on his shoulder.

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	14. The Heir of Slytherin Part One

Disclaimer- I don't own it.

Wow, this has gotten a LOT of views in the last couple days. Thanks for all the support! I hope this chapter lives up to it! :)

* * *

They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

His heart beating very fast, he followed Professor Lupin as he used his wand to light their path. He told Harry, in a very quiet voice, to keep his eyes arrowed in case the basilisk showed up and to keep directly behind Lupin, so he did. They moved down the hall, Harry keeping his narrowed eyes peeled for a flash of red hair.

He was glad Professor Lupin was with him; the hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with of jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.

Then, as they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.

Harry had to crane his neck up to look into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the stone Chamber floor. And between the feet, face-down, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.

"Harry," said Professor Lupin softly. "Go to her, but don't look around. I've got your back. Go check and see if she's alive."

Harry sprinted to her and dropped to his knees while Professor Lupin stood in front of him, wand out. "Ginny-don't be dead-please don't be dead-" He flung his wand aside, grabbed ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be-

"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her.

"Harry!"

Harry jumped to his feet at Professor Lupin's call, shutting his eyes tight.

"She won't wake," said a soft voice.

"Harry, you can open your eyes," said Professor Lupin, voice tight. "Who are you?"

Harry opened his eyes to see a tall, black-haired boy leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him-

"Tom-Tom _Riddle?"_

"You know him, Harry?" said Professor Lupin, not taking his eyes off Riddle's face.

"Yeah, it's okay," said Harry in relief. "He's...I don't know how he's here, but he's okay, he tried to catch the-"

Riddle interrupted him by saying, his voice strangely hard, "I didn't expect you to bring company, Harry. You must be Professor Lupin."

"How do you know that?"

Riddle didn't answer him. "I heard about you. How you've been missing classes all year. Ginny worries about you, you know. You're her favorite teacher, and you do get sick _so often_."

"How do you know what Ginny thinks?" said Professor Lupin quickly.

"I know what you are, Lupin," said Riddle. "I'm not surprised you got Dumbledore to hire you. He was often soft-hearted."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry, lost.

"Your Professor is a werewolf," said Riddle with a self-satisfied grin on his face. "Didn't you know?"

Harry gaped at Lupin, whose face paled.

"That's neither here nor there," managed Lupin. "That has nothing to do with any of this."

"Oh, really? You don't think Harry has a right to know if the teacher he trusts turns into a slavering, disgusting beast once a month?"

"What were you trying to tell me, Harry?" asked Professor Lupin fiercely. "_What_ did he try to do?"

Harry, to his later shame, ignored Professor Lupin, who closed the gap between them with a few quick steps but didn't say anything. He appeared to be stunned into silence.

"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not...she's not..."

"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."

Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.

"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.

"Who are you?" demanded Lupin. "How do you know Harry?"

Riddle smiled thinly at Professor Lupin. "Harry and I met over our mutual concern for the protection of the school against the monster. You needn't be worried."

"This reeks, Harry," growled Lupin. "I don't believe him."

"You can't believe him," said Riddle. "Not someone like him."

Lupin blanched, but he didn't move from his position in front of Harry.

"To answer your question, I am a memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second, Harry wondered how it had got there; but there were more pressing details to deal with.

"You've got to help us, Ton," said Harry, raising Ginny head again. "We've got to get her out of her, the basilisk-"

"Harry, no, he's lying to you," said Professor Lupin quietly. "Run. Get her and get out."

Riddle didn't move even though Professor Lupin's hushed voice was clearly audible in the quiet of the Chamber.

Harry decided to believe Lupin. He'd never been wrong before, and he didn't think him being a werewolf made him anything other than the great teacher he'd been all year. He got to his feet, hoisting Ginny with him, looking around for his wand.

But his wand had gone.

"Oh, Merlin," said Professor Lupin, his face white. "Harry, get out of here!"

"What about the basilisk?" asked Harry.

"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.

Riddle was still watching him- twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.

"I really wish you hadn't brought company," he said.

Without another word, he slashed Harry's wand in Lupin's direction. Before Harry had time to blink, Lupin had yelled _"Protego!" _and a glimmering shield blocked the spell from hitting them.

Lupin sidestepped past Harry, who was frozen in place, unable to look away but afraid to watch.

Riddle whipped his wand again, and a burst of green light flashed out, which Lupin narrowly dodged.

"That's the Killing Curse!" Lupin cried in shock. "Who _are_ you?"

"None of _your_ business, half-breed!"

Lupin's eyes narrowed and his attacks became far more serious; even Harry could tell. They dueled in front of the rows and rows of watching serpents, Harry and Ginny their only living witnesses.

One of Lupin's attacks got Riddle's arm, but no blood came out. Instead his arm oozed a thick, black sludge, and he howled in rage, retaliating so vehemently that Lupin was knocked off balance, his shield flickering.

As Harry watched, Riddle used Harry's wand to slash at the disoriented Lupin, who didn't get his wand up in time. Blood spurted from Lupin's chest and he crumpled, silently falling to the ground without even a groan.

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter." said Riddle, turning back to Harry. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you. Now...

"...we talk."

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	15. The Heir of Slytherin Part Two

Disclaimer0- I don't own it.

Okay, so, after a lot of deliberation, I decided to _not_ show the Riddle/Basilisk battle, as it would be pretty much exactly the same as in the book, and that's what the book's for, right? Typing out scenes from the book is already tedious enough without having to do an entire chapter like that with only one or two mentions of Lupin. I hope you understand! :)

* * *

_Riddle, holding Harry's wand on him, explains who he is and why he's there before setting the basilisk on Harry, which, with the help of Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, Harry defeats._

For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though he had meant to do it all along, Harry seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then-

He had gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and here was silence. Silence except for the steady _drip drip _of ink still oozing form the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.

Harry stood up and retrieved the sword from the top of the basilisk's mouth, his head spinning.

Then came a faint moan at the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. Harry wanted to run to her, but he was also worried for Professor Lupin, who hadn't moved in all the time he'd been fighting Riddle and the basilisk.

"Ginny, look," he said awkwardly, hurrying to her as she tears began to stream down her face. "I'll be right back, but I've got to help Professor Lupin."

When Ginny looked over and saw Professor Lupin lying on the ground her sobs increased.

"Oh no!" she cried. "If he's dead too...just like Penelope...it'll be all my fault! It's all my fault! I swear I d-didn't meant to, Riddle made me, and _Penelope_, oh, it's awful, I know, please...forgive me!"

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but I've got to get to Professor Lupin, he's hurt."

He helped her too her feet and they ran to Professor Lupin's side, horrified to find that he was bleeding badly. When Harry turned him over, he was relieved to see that he was still breathing, although it was fainter than Harry would have liked.

"Ginny...how're we gonna..."

Ginny, who was still crying, shook her head at Harry, bewildered.

"Harry!"

They looked up to see the Chamber entrance opening and three people hurrying in, two of them small and one rather tall, his silver beard shining even from a distance.

"Hermione! Ron!" cried Harry in relief. "Professor Dumbledore!"

"Ginny!" yelled Ron the moment he spotted his sister, running to embrace his sister, who burst into more tears and hugged him tightly back.

"What happened to Remus?" asked Dumbledore the moment he reached them.

"I-I don't know," said Harry. "He fought with Riddle..."

Dumbledore's breath sucked in sharply, so Harry figured he knew who Riddle was.

"They fought for a long time, then Riddle got him and he went down, bleeding like this. Then I fought the basilisk, and killed it, and Fawkes healed it, and then I stabbed the diary, see..."

Harry waved the diary around frantically, and Dumbledore smiled, although he still looked worried. "I'm glad you're all right, Harry, but we must get Remus out of here. Stand back, the four of you."

Hermione clutched at Harry, who smiled weakly back at her as Dumbledore conjured a stretcher out of thin air and levitated Professor Lupin, still dripping blood, onto it.

"How did you get in here?" said Harry. "I thought the entrance sealed itself."

"It was Ron," said Hermione. "He was brilliant...he imitated your Parseltongue. After a couple tries he got it and the door opened."

"Wow," said Harry, shooting Ron a smile. Ron grinned back, looking pale under his fiery hair.

"It was Professor Dumbledore's idea," he said sheepishly.

They walked back down the tunnel at a brisk pace, the stretcher carrying Professor Lupin floating behind them.

"I want all of you to hold hands," said Dumbledore. "Harry, grab onto my arm while I'll hold Fawkes...yes, like that."

Harry gripped Hermione's hand on one side and grasped Professor Dumbledore's arm on the other. They all watched as Dumbledore reached up and grabbed Fawke's tail feathers.

An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through his whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. The chill are was whipping Harry's hair, and before he'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over- all five of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Seconds later, the stretcher carrying Professor Lupin floated up through the hole, and the sink hiding the pipe slid back into place.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," said said blankly to Harry. "What's wrong with Remus?"

With a flick of his wand, the stretcher bearing Professor Lupin zoomed towards the infirmary, Professor Dumbledore watching with a grim sort of resignation.

"Come with me, all four of you," he said. "Let's get you dry, warm and fed."

Ginny burst into more tears.

"Oh, Miss Weasley, don't worry," said Dumbledore soothingly. "I promise you won't be in any trouble. We'll get it all sorted out, even the business with Miss Clearwater."

"It's not _that,"_ cried Ginny. "It's only that...it's all my fault!"

"Now, when all is done and told, you'll find that isn't the case," said Dumbledore solemnly. "Let's go to Professor McGonagall's office, shall we?"

Professor Dumbledore in the lead, the four of them followed him out of the dank bathroom and into the hallway.

"Oh, and Harry," he said, smiling softly. "In all the excitement, I forgot to tell you. I've just come from the trial; your godfather, Sirius Black, has been acquitted. He's innocent."

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Just the epilogue left. :) I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are love! :)


	16. Epilogue

I'm sorry this took so long! I've had it written for ages, but I didn't have internet and couldn't post it. I'm sorry! T.T

Well, here's the epilogue. I cried when I wrote it, I think. You probably won't, I am a sappy, sappy person. :)

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_Harry and Professor Dumbledore talk about how Harry's isn't like Riddle; Malfoy storms in and Dobby is freed._

After a night of rest and recovering, Ginny, accompanied by Professor Dumbledore and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, went to a small private hearing with Madam Bones at the Ministry of Magic, where she was found not guilty of being an accomplice to the murder of Penelope Clearwater. She finished the rest of the school year in a subdued, but content state, sharing many private conversations with the grieving Percy.

In the light of the Prefect's death, however, Harry, Mr. Weasley, Ginny, the newly freed Dobby, and Professor Dumbledore all testified against Lucius Malfoy, causing him to be sacked as Governor and sentenced to five years in Azkaban for his part in the murder of Penelope Clearwater.

Professor Lupin had been transferred to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies almost immediately, where he was in a long-term ward, but expected to fully recover...although not in time for the next school year, much to everyone's disappointment. Harry told Ron and Hermione (who, it turned out, had already known) about Lupin's lycanthropy, but no one else.

The biggest change for Harry though was that, for once, he was not dreading the return home. Professor Dumbledore had explained to him that, although he still had to spend a week and a half with the Dursleys, he could spend the majority of the summer with his newly released godfather, who he was going to meet for the first time when he got off the platform.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves on the ride home on the Hogwarts Express. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.

Harry said goodbye to everyone and stepped, with Ron and Hermione, walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.

The crowd on the other side was large and bustling, but Harry could clearly see Mrs. Weasley standing and waving. Harry said another goodbye to Ron, then did the same with Hermione, who spotted her parents soon after.

He peered around the crowds, looking for someone resembling the laughing man from the wedding photo in his album that a newly restored to Hogwarts Hagrid had pointed out.

He had to wipe his hands on his pants multiple times and could feel his heart thumping, he was so nervous. What if Sirius Black had forgotten? What if he'd decided he'd just gotten out of jail and didn't want to deal with a kid while enjoying his new freedom?

"Harry!"

He turned his head and saw a man with black hair down to his shoulders, his skin a slightly unhealthy color and his clothes outdated and loose on his thin body. He was smiling wide though, and Harry could see that he was the same man from the wedding photo.

"S-Sirius?"

"That's me," said Sirius Black, beaming at him. "I was beginning to think I'd never find you...I got here way too early, so I went to find something to eat and got all mixed up with the Muggle money and the prices, which have really skyrocketed in the last ten years, you know that? By the time I found my way back here the Hogwarts crowd was already out and I couldn't see you."

"That's okay," said Harry nervously. "I wasn't waiting too long."

"Good. Where do you wanna go? I thought I might take you for ice cream or something like that. And then, if you want, we might go visit Remus...Professor Lupin, I guess you'd call him."

"Y-Yeah," stammered Harry. "I'd like that."

"He's awake now," said Sirius cheerily. "Although he's groggy and not saying much, but Dumbledore says you like him and he doesn't have any visitors except for me...in fact, if you're okay with it, I thought he might come and live with us once he's out of St. Mungo's, since we were really close friends before...well, before Voldemort, and he's been having a tough time since your parents died and I went...away. What do you say?"

Harry was speechless. He felt his throat constrict like it did when he looked at the pictures of his parents and thought he might cry. He nodded hard, so that Sirius knew he was okay with the idea.

"Hey...you're okay, right?" said Sirius, sounding worried and bending over to get a closer look at Harry's face. "Oh, wow, you...you look like James."

And suddenly and with little warning, in the middle of King's Cross Station, Sirius Black hugged Harry Potter and started crying. They both understood.

They both knew it was going to be okay.

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Thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed this, and special thanks to everyone who reviewed it. :) I hope the ending was satisfying and you don't regret clicking on this fanfic. Don't forget to review, one last time! :)


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